Serves: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes active time* (plus 2 hours to brine pork loin**)
Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes (includes 2 hours to brine pork loin)
1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of excess fat
1/4 cup table salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 quarts cold water
3 Tablespoons bacon drippings or cooking oil
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
3 cups whole milk
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1. Preheat Oven: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Brown Pork Roast: In a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, heat bacon drippings or oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork roast and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total time. Transfer roast to a large plate. Set aside.
3. Make Sauce: Add the anchovy paste to the pot and stir to dissolve, about 20 seconds. Add milk, garlic, rosemary, sage and baking soda to the pan and stir to combine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until milk is light brown and is the consistency of heavy cream, about 15 minutes or so. Reduce heat to low and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom the pan, until milk is the consistency of a thin batter, another 2 minutes or so. Remove pan from heat.
4. Roast Pork: Return the browned roast to the pot, turning roast once to coat with sauce. Cover pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat registers 140 degrees on a thermometer inserted into the thickest part, about 40 minute, flipping once halfway during cooking time.
5. Rest Roast: Transfer roast to a plate and tent with aluminum foil. Allow roast to rest 20 minutes.
6. Finish Sauce: Once roast has rested, pour any accumulated juices from the pork back into the pan with the sauce. Add wine or vermouth to sauce and return to a medium-low heat. Remove rosemary and sage sprigs. Whisk sauce vigorously as it comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens to the consistency of gravy, about 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.
7. Serve & Enjoy: To serve, slice roast into 1/4 inch thick slices. Transfer slices to a serving platter or divide among individual plates. Spoon sauce over slices and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Enjoy!
* Brine Pork: Dissolve 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar in 2 quarts of cold water in a large container. Submerge pork into brine and cover container. Refrigerate 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove pork from brine and pat dry with a paper towels. ** If the pork you are using is enhanced (meaning injected with a salt solution) do not brine.
